5 Key Ingredients To Successful Online Dating - A Beginner's Guide

Did you know that online dating is now so popular that as many as 50% of singles in the US use some form of internet dating service. The reasons for people turning to online dating are many and varied. In today's busy world, many simply do not have the time to socialize and meet potential partners in the traditional way. Others suffer from social anxiety disorder or are too shy and find it difficult to meet people in a social setting. And then there are those that have had a bad experience whilst dating and have therefore given up on finding someone socially.

How Internet Dating Sites Work

Now, online dating is not in itself a new concept. Internet dating sites have been around for a number of years, but the upsurge in popularity of online dating has led to a massive growth in the number of these sites on the internet, some of which yield great results whilst others do not work so well.

The way these dating sites work is that when you join one, you complete in a personal information profile. The site then compares your information with that of others and comes up with a match that it considers best suits your lifestyle. The aim is to match you with people that fit you so that you are much more likely to have a meaningful date. This eliminates having to go on many different dates and finding that you have nothing in common with the people you are dating.

The 5 Key Ingredients

The key to achieving success with online dating lies in how you use the site when you actually sign-up, and, although what I am about to reveal to you may seem obvious, when done correctly they can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to internet dating. I refer to them as the five key ingrediates of successful internet dating.

1. Create A Great Profile.

This is without doubt the most important aspect of your dating site experience. A bland statement such as 'Nice girl seeks nice guy for an evening out' will not win any prizes here. You should take the time to say something interesting about yourself and the type of person you are hoping to meet. It also helps to sound jolly and confident. A little humour can also be an ice-breaker - if you can make someone laugh, they are more likely to want to contact you.

2. Always Upload A Photo.

Remember 95% of people on dating sites only search for those that have provided a photograph of themselves. No doubt you want to see what other potential partners look like, therefore it seems reasonable that they will want to know what you look like. If you do not have a recent photo to hand or the one you have is not a great likeness of you, then you should say so in your profile.

3. Be Proactive.

Don't just join a site and expect other people to contact you. Make sure you regularly search the database for people with whom you might be compatible and when you find someone you like, write to them immediately and tell them why you think you might be a good fit.

4. Write Great Emails.

Once you have joined a site and you are presented with other members who are your match, then it is time to get down to the business of writing your first emails to send to them. The same rule applies here as the one mentioned in the piece above about creating a great profile. If it appears as though you cannot be bothered to say much about yourself, then the others will also not be bothered to reply. Not only should you tell the other person about yourself but you should also say why you think you might be compatible. Always make a point of responding to their profile. It goes without saying that if your email sounds interesting you are more likely to get a reply.

5. Check Back With The Site Often.

There are two reasons why you should check back with the sight as often as possible. The most obvious reason is to keep up to speed with who has joined since you last logged-on - that special someone might have signed-up since you last visited the site so you would not want to miss out. More importantly, what most people do not know is that when you log into a dating site, your profile moves up the listings on the internal search engine which means that you are more likely to be spotted and subsequently contacted by other people. A visit at least once a day during the lifetime of your membership should ensure that you do not become a stranger to the site that you joined.

So there you have it. Five ingredients that should ensure that you have a positive, fun experience whilst you look for your ideal date online. However, one should always remember that there are some potential risks associated with online dating. Some people may appear wonderful on the internet but only for you to find them to be completely the opposite when you meet them in the flesh. Therefore there are issues of safety to consider. That being said, internet dating is, in the main, a very positive thing. There are many people looking to find love and companionship and for such people, the internet is the gateway to new found love and happiness.